Packers Are Getting Healthier

Don’t look now, but the door to the medical facility at 1265 Lombardi has begun swinging the Green Bay Packers’ way.

With the least meaningless preseason game approaching, the mob of players in shorts and sweats on the sidelines has finally began to dwindle. So, as Packer fans look forward to the Seattle Seahawks coming to town, they also have several long-awaited for debuts to be excited about.

Tops on that list is cornerback Casey Hayward. Yes, his hamstring has finally allowed him to practice. He has not been able to participate in team drills, as of yet, which reduces his chances of seeing action on Friday, but that could change as soon as Wednesday’s practice.

Unless something changes drastically in the other direction, we WILL be seeing running back DuJuan Harris on Friday. He’s back, a full go, and ready to stake his claim as the starting halfback one week after Eddie Lacy nearly ran away with it. If Harris looks anything like he did at the end of last season, the Packers will have their best running back tandem since Edgar Bennett and Dorsey Levens were toting it.

After spraining an ankle on his first play from scrimmage in the preseason opener, first-round pick Datone Jones is back at practice and would probably be listed as “questionable” if the NFL did a preseason injury report.

Tight end Andrew Quarless is back and just in time, with Brandon Bostick beginning to threaten his spot on the roster. Quarless also is likely 50/50 to play on Friday night. I would highly suggest it.

One of the Packers’ seventh-round receivers, Kevin Dorsey has finally made an appearance on the practice field. This should at least allow him to make a push for the practice squad.

This positive trend is largely thanks to the Packers avoiding new injuries in both preseason games so far. Maintaining that trend remains the most important goal of the remainder of the exhibition season. Since most everyone of import will see little action in the fourth preseason game, the game on Friday night remains the one big hurdle to realizing this goal.

Why not just put Rodgers on the cover of Madden? This can’t turn out well. I cringe at the thought of our final preseason game. Can we pull a Hickory Huskers and instead of playing with 11 we play with 0?